Confetti flies through the air as a Tacoma Link train pulls out of the Tacoma Dome Station on the first public day of operation, August 22, 2003. The original six-stop light-rail line is closer to being expanded to 12 stations as the city of Tacoma received a $15 million federal grant to help cover its $40 million share of project costs. JANET JENSENStaff file, 2003

Confetti flies through the air as a Tacoma Link train pulls out of the Tacoma Dome Station on the first public day of operation, August 22, 2003. The original six-stop light-rail line is closer to being expanded to 12 stations as the city of Tacoma received a $15 million federal grant to help cover its $40 million share of project costs. JANET JENSENStaff file, 2003

Tacoma Link expansion gets $15 million in federal money

The extension of Tacoma’s downtown streetcar line to the Hilltop via the Stadium District on Monday received a $15 million federal grant that long has been regarded as critical money to build the $165 million project.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, each announced the award of the federal Department of Transportation grant to the city for the Tacoma Link expansion project Monday morning.

With Tacoma’s share of the funding in place — the city has committed to paying the remaining $7 million — the Sound Transit board could vote as soon as its November meeting to officially move plans on the project along, Sound Transit spokeswoman Kimberly Reason said.

She said the agency is “thrilled” by the $15 million grant award, though the remaining $75 million needs to get through Congress before construction plans are set.

Murray and Kilmer each said the Link work will help expand economic opportunities in Tacoma’s neighborhoods. If all the money comes through as hoped, construction of the expanded line is to start in 2017 or 2018.